page_title: History of the Helsinki tram system
section_title: 1999 onwards
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Helsinki tram system / 1999 onwards
caption_attribution_description: English: The special Culture Tram of the Helsinki tram network, labelled line 5, at a tram stop in Taka-Töölö, Helsinki.
context_page_description: Helsinki is Finland's only remaining city with tram traffic. Two other cities—Turku and Vyborg —have had tram systems. Vyborg abandoned its trams in 1957 after it was ceded to the Soviet Union after the end of World War II. Turku withdrew its trams in 1972.
context_section_description: Starting in 1999, HKL received deliveries a fleet of low-floor Variotram trams from ADtranz (Bombardier Transportation since 2001). The new generation trams suffered from persistent technical difficulties and frequent break-downs, the entire batch needing to be refitted by the manufacturer in Germany. To cover for the missing trams, the city bought ten second-hand trams from Mannheim, Germany. To help pay for the second-hand trams, HKL was allowed to cover six of the extra trams completely in advertising, a sight rarely seen before on the streets of Helsinki. The purchase of the Bombardier trams was never completed due to the reliability problems. Instead, a deal was reached that required Bombardier to keep a certain minimum number of trams in operation. Bombardier opened its own depot in Helsinki for this purpose in mid-2008.
  The purchase of a new series of 40 low-floor trams was initiated in 2007, and the trams were eventually ordered from the Finnish manufacturer Transtech in December 2010. In preparation for the acquisition, in 2007–2008 one CROTRAM TMK 2200 type tram built in Croatia was used for test running in Helsinki. Due to the hilly nature of Helsinki's tram network compared to that of Zagreb (for which the TMK 2200 type was designed), the TMK 2200 could be operated only on the relatively flat-terrain lines 6 and 8. The tram performed technically without problems. Passenger feedback was largely negative, but mostly concerned issues – such as the seating arrangements  – that would be changed if the type were mass-produced for HKL. During the initial phase of the call for bids opened in late 2008, Alstom, Bombardier Transportation, CAF, Končar (Crotram), ON's Industry, Siemens, Škoda, Transtech and Vossloh (reportedly in collaboration with Heiter Blick) submitted tenders. Of these, Bombardier, CAF, Škoda, Transtech and Vossloh were selected for the second phase of the call for bids. In the end, Bombardier, CAF and Transtech submitted tenders and Transtech's tender was chosen.
  The extension of the network from Arabia into the new residential development area in Arabianranta (lines 6 and 8) was eventually realised and opened in 2004. The new number 9 line opened on 10 August 2008, connecting Kolmikulma in central Helsinki to East-Pasila and replacing bus line number 17, albeit having been truncated from both ends compared to the initially planned version. This marked the opening of the first new tram line in Helsinki since the (re-)opening of line 2 in 1976.
  The first phase of the extension of line 8 to Jätkäsaari was opened on 1 January 2012, and the extension of line 9 to the ferry terminal in Jätkäsaari via Kamppi on 13 August 2012 (see below). The Kalasatama connection (see below) is in planning stages as of 2012, as the construction of buildings in the former harbour has begun.
  Various changes to improve the average running speeds in the system were proposed from the late 1990s onwards, and the benefits of these improvements were estimated to outweigh the costs by a large margin. E.g. a detailed plan to speed up line 8 was approved in 2011. Despite this, the improvements have been left unrealised.
  From the autumn of 2010 to December 2012, a Culture Tram was operated for limited hours on three days of the week (Wed, Thu, Fri) on the additional line no. 5, whose route ran from Ooppera to Linjat via Rautatientori. The Culture Tram had various art exhibitions and performances on board. Highlights included performances by the singers of the Finnish National Opera and concerts as a part of the Flow Festival. A single eight-axle Düwag tram, originally purchased from Mannheim, Germany, and refurbished specifically for this purpose, served as the Culture Tram. HKL decided to discontinue the regular operation of the Culture Tram by the end of 2012 because the vehicle was deemed too slow in relation to other, frequent tram traffic that shares the same tracks. HKL planned to keep the Culture Tram in the fleet and make it available on charter basis for events that could use the equipment installed in it, such as the audio
caption: Line 5 Culture Tram from the outside.
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